Partners? Partners
by Sugarloafin
Summary: What a little jail time can do to people. Miguel is in for a bit more than he bargained for, but he'll come away from the experience a whole lot richer.


Miguel hadn't really expected his day to end with him in prison. Oh he'd admitted the possibility, but it had seemed quite remote. He was good at getting in and out of windows, good at sweet talking and puppy dog eyes; getting caught was not something that had occurred to him. And yet, there he was being hustled along by a burly guard towards a dim and dank prison cell. It was the first time Miguel had seen the inside of such a prison. He could only hope it would also be the last.

Miguel did not realize the cell he was being led to was already occupied until the guard had opened the door and shoved him in.

"Runnin' outta space for you lot. Time to bunk up. Heh, heh." The burly guard chuckled heartily as his key clicked in the lock. "So how's the escape plan comin'?"

"Soon I wont be here for you to ask." The cell's other occupant spoke low from the far corner. The guard laughed again and left. Miguel eased himself carefully to sit against the wall by the door. Neither he nor the other man in the cell said a word. Soon a steady _thud, thud, thud_ began to sound from the dark corner where the voice had come from.

"What are you doing?" Miguel had to ask.

"Thinking." Came the reply in the same low voice, though this time it seemed slightly annoyed. The thudding continued.

"About your escape plan?"

"I got it!" Suddenly the man burst from the corner and into the thin torchlight that made it through the barred door. Miguel got his first good look at his erstwhile companion. The other young man was certainly no older than he, but considerably taller. He looked like he was all arms and legs, strung out like a scarecrow. His frayed clothes only added strength to the association. His black hair was thick, curly, and in complete dissarray. His bright blue eyes were staring at the cell door with such intensity that Miguel thought he was trying to open it with his will alone. It could have been dirt, the cell was hardly the cleanest place Miguel had ever been, but he almost thought he saw a bruise on the man's forehead.

"What have you got?"

Suddenly those blue eyes snapped from the door to Miguel. As if noticing him for the first time, the other young man took a moment to study his companion much as Miguel had done.

"So," The blue eyes looked suddenly bored and the low voice was quite casual. "How long are you here for?"

Miguel was startled enough by the abrupt change that he answered honestly. "I have no idea, no one really said before they tossed me in. How about you?"

"Just until tonight." The blue eyes were back fixed on the door again.

"You mean that's when you'll be released?"

"Heh." The man was grinning evilly, but his eyes stayed fixed on the door.

Miguel didn't know quite what to make of that, so he tried a different angle. "So what are you in for?"

The man shrugged and lost a little of his grin. "I was accused of stealing."

"Weren't you?"

He snorted. The sly grin was back. "Of course not. They gave me the money."

"A con man then." Miguel was rewarded for that with the blue eyes focused back on him.

"So what's your story then?" The man stood with his arms folded and his face forced into hard lines. He was trying hard to be challenging and intimidating, but Miguel was hard pressed to keep from laughing. He was just too gangly and goofy to look anything but comical.

"I was caught escaping out the governor's daughter's window." Miguel couldn't not grin at the memory, and was a little satisfied to see the other man's blue eyes widen as he caught the implication.

"You were in the governor's mansion." This time the eyes really were hard, and Miguel had to wonder what he'd said wrong.

"Uh, yes?"

"When?"

"Yesterday. They only caught me this morning."

"You were in the governor's mansion yesterday?!"

"Uh, yes, why?" Miguel didn't realize when he'd backed up closer to the wall. Now those blue eyes really did look challenging and intimidating.

"You! You are the reason I'm stuck here!"

"What?!" At the accusation Miguel was on his feet and shouting right back. His misadventures in the mansion were a sore point. It was the first time he'd truly been caught. No way was he going to let this guy pin his own screw up on him too.

"You're the one who caused such a ruckus at the mansion that I couldn't get away with my gold!"

"How do you know it wasn't the other way around, huh?!"

"What?!"

"There shouldn't have been ANYONE in that courtyard! I should have had a clear escape route! But NO~ I was spotted by some guards who wouldn't have been there if SOMEONE hadn't stirred them up!"

"Who stirred them up?! Probably her screams stirred them up!"

"Why you...miserable...piece of...!!" Miguel couldn't even form a proper insult through his fury. He'd have to let his fists do the talking. Both of them drew back for a punch just as the burly prison guard arrived on the scene.

"WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE?!" The guard bellowed. Miguel let his fist drop slightly, but Blue Eyes was having none of it.

"This lily-livered sapsucker is why I'm stuck in here!"

"What?! HE'S the reason I'M here!"

"Just have to blame someone else for your own incompetence, do you?!"

"I think the pot just called the kettle black!"

Both fists were cocked and ready again. Miguel wasn't about to let even the prison guard stop him from bashing in those blue eyes. Then for a moment time seemed to slow. He was still staring into those blue eyes and watching the other man's fist just waiting to strike as his own was, but something changed. Something in those eyes was no longer angry, was in fact smiling. Then those eyes twitched ever so slightly towards the prison guard who was still a captivated spectator to their impending brawl. Without really knowing why, Miguel diverted his punch just a little, and caught sight of an unmistakeably sly grin.

Then time seemed to resume it's normal pace and the prison guard took two fists to the face through the door bars. The guard dropped like he was made of lead. Miguel stared at him until a loud whoop startled him out of his shock induced stupor.

"HaHA! Well, don't just stand there, help me get his keys!"

At last seeing something of what was going on, Miguel didn't ask and simply set about searching the guard's belt for the key ring. Between the two of them it was quick work to get themselves out of the cell and the guard locked in it. However, the guard's nap was also fairly quick, and before they had even made it a few feet down the hallway he was yelling.

"So now what's the plan, smart guy?!" Miguel was in no mood to be charitable after the recent events with Blue Eyes.

"Uhhh...you stay here while I..." The other man looked nervously up and down the hallway, then froze as they both saw swiftly approaching guards. "RUN!"

"Yeah, thanks a lot!" Miguel spluttered after Blue Eyes.

Still, he didn't have a better plan, so they ran. Through the prison corridors, over a few unsuspecting wardens, past many grasping hands, over barrels, under swinging ropes, out the door, up onto the rooftops, and halfway across town before they dared stop. They were both heaving in great gulps of air, but finally Miguel recovered enough to ask:

"So were you really in the governor's mansion yesterday, or did you make all that up?"

"Heh." The blue eyes sparkled with laughter. "So what's your name, anyway?"

"Miguel." He figured he probably would never know about the governor's mansion.

"I'm Tulio." He held out his hand. Miguel couldn't help but smile as he took it. Now that they were out in real daylight, he could see Tulio did have a large bruise on his forehead.

"Was that your escape plan?"

Tulio laughed. "Well it worked pretty well. Couldn't have done it without you, partner."

"Partners?"

They shook hands again. "Partners."

"So where to now? Certainly can't stay in this city much longer."

"What do think of Barcelona?"

"Beautiful girls in Barcelona."

"Then let's go, eh partner?"

"You got it, partner."


End file.
